Intel Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) socket: BGA 1449
The Intel Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) uses the BGA 1449 package, a grid array that solders to the board. It is a 2-core Tiger Lake-U processor at 15 W, and the soldered chip cannot be replaced.
- Socket
- BGA 1449
- Launched
- September 2020
- Cores and threads
- 2 and 4
- Base power
- 15 W
- Codename
- Tiger Lake-U
- Segment
- Mobile (soldered)
- Family
- Intel Core i3
- Clocks
- 2.2 / 4.1 GHz
Intel Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) specifications
| Cores | 2 |
|---|---|
| Threads | 4 |
| Core architecture | Willow Cove (Tiger Lake-U) |
| Clocks | 2.2 GHz base at 15 W, up to 4.1 GHz turbo |
| Cache | 6 MB Intel Smart Cache (L3) |
| Processor base power (TDP) | 15 W (12 to 28 W configurable) |
| Manufacturing process | 10 nm SuperFin |
| Memory support | DDR4 up to 3200 MT/s or LPDDR4x up to 3733 MT/s, two channels, up to 64 GB |
| PCI Express | PCIe Gen4 from the CPU plus Thunderbolt 4 through the board |
| Integrated graphics | Intel UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (48 execution units, up to 1.25 GHz) |
| Multiplier | Locked |
| Package | FCBGA1449 soldered, 45.5 × 25 mm |
| Cooler in the box | None (laptop cooling) |
Motherboard compatibility
Intel Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) needs a motherboard with a BGA 1449 socket. Chipset by chipset data for this codename is not recorded yet. See the BGA 1449 chipset list and the board maker's CPU support list.
BGA 1449 at a glance
| Type | BGA, 1,449 contacts |
|---|---|
| Package size | 45.5 × 25 mm |
| Introduced | January 2021 |
| Memory | DDR4 up to 3200 MT/s or LPDDR4x up to 4267 MT/s, two channels, up to 64 GB |
| Cooler mounting holes | Not applicable (soldered) |
What the Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) is
The Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) is a 2-core mobile processor that Intel launched in September 2020 for thin laptops in the UP3 range. Its Willow Cove cores run a 2.2 GHz base at 15 W to 4.1 GHz turbo with Hyper-Threading for 4 threads. Cache is 6 MB of Intel Smart Cache.
The IPU suffix marks a variant with the image processing unit enabled for camera and vision tasks. Compute specs match the standard 1115G4, with the same 10 nm SuperFin process and the same configurable power from 12 W to 28 W. The 1.7 GHz base at 12 W suits fanless moments, while the 3.0 GHz base at 28 W suits active cooling.
Intel UHD Graphics for 11th Gen processors handle display output, with 48 execution units at up to 1.25 GHz. The multiplier is locked. The package is FCBGA1449 soldered at 45.5 × 25 mm.
Socket and motherboard compatibility
The 1115G4 (IPU) fits BGA 1449 only. The chip solders to the laptop board, so there is no socket retention and no later processor upgrade. Board support is fixed to the UP3 platform with DDR4 or LPDDR4x memory soldered nearby.
Because the package is soldered, buyers compare complete thin laptops rather than separate parts. A buyer who needs no camera pipeline takes the standard Intel Core i3-1115G4 with identical clocks. The IPU variant suits designs that use the vision pipeline for video calls.
The How to find your CPU socket type guide explains how to confirm a soldered package from the system specifications. For service, a failed processor means a board replacement through the laptop maker.
Memory, PCIe and cooling
The memory controller supports DDR4 up to 3200 MT/s or LPDDR4x up to 3733 MT/s across two channels to 64 GB. UP3 designs use soldered memory or SO-DIMM per maker choice. There is no DDR5 path on Tiger Lake-U.
The processor exposes PCIe Gen4 from the CPU plus Thunderbolt 4 through the board for storage and docks. Laptop designs lean on Thunderbolt where internal lanes stay few. Cooler mounting uses no desktop pattern. Cooling follows the laptop thermal design with a single fan sized around 15 W.
Configurable power shapes sustained results. A 12 W setting with 1.7 GHz base stretches battery life, while a 28 W setting with 3.0 GHz base holds clocks with more fan noise. Makers publish the configured value per model, so two laptops with the same chip can differ under load.
Upgrade paths
On the same BGA1449 footprint there is no CPU upgrade path, since the chip is soldered. Owners who need four cores move to an i5 UP3 part such as the Intel Core i5-1135G7 rather than a chip swap. Memory is often soldered, which closes that path as well.
Within i3 UP3, the twin is the standard Intel Core i3-1115G4 with matching 2.2 GHz base and 4.1 GHz turbo. Both share 6 MB cache and UHD graphics, so the choice is the IPU camera pipeline rather than speed.
Moving past UP3 entirely means a new laptop on a later platform. For buyers choosing in 2020, the IPU variant suited video heavy thin designs at 15 W, while non-IPU boards saved little. The two share Willow Cove and 10 nm SuperFin on the same package.
Frequently asked questions
What socket does the Intel Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) use?
It uses BGA 1449, a soldered grid array with 1449 balls. The chip cannot be removed or replaced.
What memory does the Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) support?
DDR4 up to 3200 MT/s or LPDDR4x up to 3733 MT/s in two channels to 64 GB. Boards solder the memory or use SO-DIMM per maker choice.
Can the Core i3-1115G4 (IPU) be overclocked?
No. The multiplier is locked, and laptop firmware does not expose desktop overclocking controls. Sustained speed follows the maker configured value between 12 W and 28 W.
How does the IPU variant differ from the standard 1115G4?
Compute specs match the standard Intel Core i3-1115G4, with the same 2.2 GHz base and 4.1 GHz turbo. The IPU variant adds the image processing unit for camera tasks.
Sources and verification
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .